Nonfiction Reviews: Week of 4/23/2007
by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 4/23/2007
To explain the homicidal title first: it’s an axiom coined by Justin Kaplan, the distinguished biographer of Mark Twain and Walt Whitman, and it refers to one of the main hazards we practitioners of the genre face. I instantly recognized its provenance: Kaplan, the first professional biographer I ever knew, used to warn me about the obstacles that spouses of dead subjects can strew in a prospective biographer’s path: permissions withheld, archives closed, requests for interviews denied. On the one hand, you need their co-operation to get the job done; on the other, they tend to get in the way. Maybe Secrest’s title should have been: “Obtain the Widow’s Papers, Then Shoot the Widow.” A career biographer, Secrest has nine biographies under her belt, among them Leonard Bernstein, Kenneth Clark and Salvador Dalí. It’s an eclectic mix—not an altogether reassuring sign. The greatest biographers—Michael Holroyd, Richard Ellmann, Leon Edel, Edmund Morris, Richard Holmes, to list a few at random—have imposed on themselves a mandate to enter as deeply as they can into another’s mind and character: in Holmes’s word, to “haunt” their subjects. The job can take a lifetime. Secrest doesn’t haunt as much as insinuate. Her method is pragmatic. “Deciding on a subject is mostly a cold-blooded business of weighing the subject against potential markets, timeliness, the availability of material and the likelihood of getting the story, the kinds of factors publishers have to worry about.” Sometimes she’s authorized; sometimes she’s not. Sometimes the matter of authorization is left ambiguous. She shares with us, perhaps unwisely, John Guare’s telling anagram for her name: Merely Secrets To her credit, Secrest is a lively storyteller—better than she knows. She puts herself down as “a nosy parker,” a “boring” stylist who finds the whole process “baffling.” But she’s too hard on herself. Arriving at Lord Clark’s ancient country manor, she finds the venerable art historian “sitting in the living room, his mouth half open, looking flustered and vague. He had had a coup de vieux, he said.” It’s a touching moment—portrait of a great man on his way out. Maybe Secrest should write an autobiography. The glimpses she offers of her own life—her English childhood in Bath; the revelation, blurted out in passing, that she was an “unwanted child”—are tantalizing. She tearfully confesses to one of her subjects, Stephen Sondheim, the “years of self-examination” she’s undergone. Tell us more. 61 b&w photos. (June 7) James Atlas, the publisher of Atlas Books, is the biographer of Delmore Schwartz and Saul Bellow. Having witnessed Katrina’s devastation of his mother’s New Orleans house, science writer Mooney (The Republican War on Science) became concerned that government policy still ignored worst-case scenarios in planning for the future, despite that unprecedented disaster. He set out to explore the question of “whether global warming will strengthen or otherwise change hurricanes in general, even if it can’t explain the absolute existence, attributes, or behavior of any single one of them.” Since storm research’s early 19th-century inception, Mooney found, there has been a split between those who believed the field “should be rooted in the careful collection of data and observations” (e.g., weathermen) and those who preferred “theory-based deductions from the laws of physics” (e.g., climatologists). Whirling around this longstanding antagonism is a mix of politics, personalities and the drama of these frightening storms. The urgency and difficulty of resolving the question of global warming’s existence, and its relationship to storms, has only heated things up. Mooney turns this complicated stew into a page-turner, making the science accessible to the general reader, vividly portraying the scientists and relating new discoveries while scientists and politicians change sides—or stubbornly ignore new evidence. Mooney draws hope from some researchers’ integration of both research methods and concludes that to be effective, scientists need to be clear communicators. (July) To counter the “billions of pixels” that have been spent on the rise of the seemingly unique World Wide Web, journalist and information architect Wright delivers a fascinating tour of the many ways that humans have collected, organized and shared information for “more than 100,000 years” to show how the information age started long before microchips or movable type. A self-described “generalist” who displays an easy familiarity with evolutionary biology and cultural anthropology as well as computer science and technology, Wright explores the many and varied roots of the Web, including how the structure of family relationships from Greek times, among others, has exerted a profound influence on the shape and structure of human information systems. He discusses how “the violent history of libraries” is the best lesson in how hierarchical systems collapse and give rise to new systems, and how “the new technology of the book” introduced the notion of random access to information. And he focuses on the work of many now obscure information-gathering pioneers such as John Wilkins and his “Universal Categories” and Paul Otlet, the Internet’s ”forgotten forefather,” who “anticipated many of the problems bedeviling the Web today.” (June) Circumnavigating the globe at the equator wasn’t enough for South African extreme adventurer Horn, so he promptly set out on a solo expedition to the North Pole. As he recounts in the opening chapters of his memoir, an attempt to tie a loose shoelace when the temperature was 76 below zero resulted in his thumb splitting open, the skin “translucent all the way to the bone.” And yet, just a few months after being treated for frostbite, Horn set out again, this time preparing to travel the entire perimeter of the Arctic Circle. This voyage has its own share of death-defying episodes, from multiple encounters with bears to a kayak ride through a maze of icebergs, not to mention the oppressive Russian bureaucracy. But it’s also filled with charming interludes, like Horn’s arrival at a Canadian mining town just days before it closes for good, or his tightrope walk along the top of a Russian oil pipeline. Through all these adventures, Horn reflects on why he feels compelled to push himself to such limits, comparing his trek to a rite of passage: “It was inside myself that I took a long, long walk,” he says. Readers will be grateful to share his experiences vicariously. (June) With his trademark red cape, full beard and regal bearing, Italian revolutionary hero Giuseppe Garibaldi cut a swashbuckling swath through European politics during the mid-19th century. In Riall’s (Sicily and the Unification of Italy) exhaustive and sometimes exhausting study of this supremely charismatic man and his tumultuous times, Garibaldi’s life and legacy echo through the fascist dictators of the 20th century to the Marxist revolutionaries of the 1970s. Born in Nice in 1807, Garibaldi lived a peripatetic life until he “discovered his true vocation—not as a (failed) merchant sailor nor as a (outlawed) political conspirator, but as a soldier hero” and returned to Italy in 1848, a year of widespread political upheaval in Europe. The Italy that Riall describes is a conflicted place seething with nationalist fervor, waiting for a hero to fan the flames and lead the people to their rightful place among nations. As much a product of behind-the-scenes manipulations as his own desires and ambitions, Garibaldi became that hero. A deeply researched and resourced scholarly text, this is not for the general reader. Riall’s extensive use of contemporary primary source material makes for some heavy sledding. Still, for the 19th-century European history buff or the revolutionary hero completist, this is a useful and illuminating read. (June) Who better to edit and introduce an enormous collection of fishing writing than one of America’s most accomplished editors and publishers of angling books, Nick Lyons. Lyons has turned over every stone to include an incredible array of well-known fishing scribes like Izaak Walton, Thomas McGuane, James Prosek and John McPhee. And with the inclusion of literary heavyweights like Lord Byron, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Rudyard Kipling and Washington Irving, the selections run the gamut from nonfiction and fiction to poetry, and cover just about every fish, from the regal trout to the powerful tuna. While all the entries may not fit every angler’s fancy, they certainly ensure that there is something for everyone. Despite the varying writing styles, the collection never feels disjointed because, to borrow a phrase from A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean, who’s included, in the end all these divergent topics seem to “merge into one.” That’s because they share the virtues of anticipation, mystery and wonder that are inherent not only to great literature but to a sporting endeavor that focuses on knowing what is happening beneath the surface. (June) In this concise, entertaining account, first-time author Kennedy tells the story of Kelso, a scrawny, ungainly gelding who just happened to be one of the greatest Thoroughbreds that ever lived. While Kelso is certainly not unknown to horse race fans, his accomplishments throughout the 1960s have been underappreciated in comparison to those of Secretariat or Man O’ War, in large part because Kelso was a late bloomer who didn’t run in the Triple Crown as a three-year old. Yet Kelso’s achievements include winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup five times—the only horse in history to take a major stakes race five times consecutively—and being named “Horse of the Year” five successive times (again, the only horse to receive such an honor). Kennedy also enlivens the narrative with her own memories of seeing Kelso run in the flesh as a horse-loving girl. Although her research is impeccable, Kennedy seems to have relied on secondary sources for the most part, which detracts from the drama. Still, she makes a compelling argument for the historical stature of her childhood hero. (June) In this rambling though passionate monologue, Maradona (with the help of two ghostwriters) takes readers from his impoverished youth in Buenos Aires to the heights of celebrity as the greatest player in the history of the world’s most popular sport. An unlikely superstar, the short (5’5”) and rather chunky Maradona regularly performed impossible feats on the soccer pitch, yet his career was shadowed by criminal allegations and florid drug abuse. Even a casual soccer fan could describe the numerous highs and lows of Maradona’s career, including the “Hand of God” against England, the 1986 World Cup victory, firing an air-gun into a crowd of reporters, a failed drug test at the ’94 Cup and a massive heart attack (probably drug related) in 2004. Although quite open about his drug use and philandering, Maradona admits to little wrong and spends most of his energy detailing his exploits on the field and railing against the owners and bureaucrats who control the sport. While Maradona’s pungent mode of expression and outspoken politics—he loves Castro and sports a Che Guevara tattoo—have undeniable charm, the book will be tough going for general readers lacking background in international soccer. 32 color and b&w photos. (June) Schwartz, a sociologist at the University of Washington and sex and relationship adviser (The Great Sex Weekend) starts off with a question she had to ask herself: what should a woman do when she’s suddenly single again after 23 years of marriage, hoping for another long-term relationship, or at least sex and companionship? “I feel as sexually alive as I did when I was 25, but the number and availability of men for me has changed,” Schwartz writes. Her candid and sexy memoir, targeted toward women in their 40s, 50s and 60s, is both a highly entertaining sexual autobiography and an account of her romantic liaisons in the five years after her divorce. The book is an unusual and appealing mixture of realistic dating tips and shrewd relationship advice interspersed with cautionary tales of Schwartz’s rocky relationships with a succession of alpha males Despite the continuing thud of her romantic disappointments, Schwartz doesn’t regret the risks she took. Ultimately, she learns to savor the pleasure of just being alive in her own body. For someone who admits that she can let her “hormones create fake intimacy” in her relationships, it’s nice to see Schwartz finally enjoying an authentic relationship with herself. (June) This sweet sequel to Bark if You Love Me, in which Bernikow first introduced her beloved brown boxer, Libro (adopted in the late ’90s after he was rescued by the police), relates their subsequent adventures living in Manhattan. Libro relished apartment life even in a five-floor walkup, making friends with the neighbors (“it takes a building to raise a dog”) and endearing himself to Bernikow’s friends. So urban was Libro that he had difficulty adjusting to a month’s vacation in the Hamptons and refused to go in the water. Although clearly smitten with her dog, Bernikow leavens her adoration with references to literary figures and their pets, such as Virginia Woolf’s Pinka and Emily Brontë’s Keeper. She also delivers a humorous account of the book tour for Bark if You Love Me, which included paw stamping by Libro as well as autographing by Bernikow at bookstores. But Bernikow’s bout with cancer, during which Libro barely left her side, was followed by the dog’s own diagnosis with a tumor soon after his ninth birthday,. Bernikow describes her intense pain after losing her beloved companion, which she marked with a postmortem party for friends and admirers. (June 15) Veteran popular historian Kurzman (The Bravest Battle) relates how a Hitler-Himmler order in 1943 to kidnap the pope and seize Vatican files and treasures was twice delayed and finally undermined by a group of high German officers and officials in Rome. The foilers were headed by the SS leader in Italy, Gen. Karl Wolff, whom Kurzman interviewed before his death in 1984. Kurzman demonstrates that Hitler wanted the Vatican neutralized because he thought the pope had aided the overthrow of Mussolini in 1943 and feared that the Church’s leader would denounce the Final Solution in general and the imminent deportation of Rome’s Jews in particular. Wolff and others in Rome, meanwhile, hoped to use the pope as an intermediary for a negotiated peace and an Anglo-American-German campaign against the Soviets. Kurzman also touches upon such related topics as the 1933 Nazi-Vatican Concordat, how Pius’s silence on the murder of the Jews was partly rooted in excessive fears of a Soviet takeover of the Vatican, and the curious role of Rome’s chief rabbi, Israel Zolli, who ultimately converted to Catholicism. Kurzman does a good job of telling a suspenseful and little-known story of WWII intrigue. (June) In this fast-paced tale that is part detective story, part travelogue and adventure story, historian Kingsley, editor of the archeology journal Minerva, hunts for one of the most sought after ancient treasures: a golden candelabrum, a pair of silver trumpets and the jewel-covered Table of Divine Presence carried away from the Temple in Jerusalem by Vespasian in A.D. 70. Many believe that these pieces, long since disappeared, lie buried beneath the Temple Mount, while others are convinced that they are buried under the Vatican. Relying on the ancient historians Josephus and Procopius, Kingsley traces the trail of the treasure as best he can. Many in modern times have tried and failed to find the treasure, including John Allegro, the Dead Sea Scrolls expert, who used the now-famous Copper Scroll as his guide in the caves at Qumran. At the end of his travels, Kingsley visits the monastery of Saint Theodosius in the Judean wilderness, where he believes Byzantine patriarch Modestus may have hidden the treasures in the seventh century after carrying them away from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to protect them from Muslim invaders. Although we will likely never find the Temple treasure, Kingsley’s bracing tale of religious intrigue grips the imagination. 16 pages of b&w photos. (June 12) The world of cartoon cuteness goes horribly, surrealistically wrong again and again in this survey of 40 contemporary Japanese artists. The overriding mood is one of suffocating, inward-looking dread, expressed through an obsession with imagery drawn from manga, television, the Internet and pornography. There are hamsters in bondage, a tattooed Kewpie doll, and Lolita figures riddled with hypodermic needles. The best of these disturbing visions are presented with an audacious virtuosity. Mika Kato paints masterful and exquisitely creepy oils of doll faces, and Shintaro Miyake’s elaborate installations could depict the dream lives of abandoned plush toys. The few artists who depart from the basic formula of pop surrealism are generally derivative of Western artists. Yasumasa Morimura, for example, takes staged photos of himself that are almost embarrassingly similar to Cindy Sherman’s work. So what does it all mean? The text by critic Yamaguchi is not much help, offering mostly banalities. That picture of the girl being poked with all those needles? She’s apparently “a very contemporary reflection of a society in chaos.” But it’s the images themselves that make up the bulk of the book, offering a brisk, intoxicating tour through the dark side of the Japanese pop culture imagination. (June 1) Manhattan freelance writer Ward and his wife, Heather, faced a steep learning curve when they abandoned harried, technology-driven lives for a year not just in the country but in the country as it was a century ago. Their mantra was, “If it didn’t exist in 1900, we will do without,” and they did—no electricity, no telephone, no computer. This breezy account of their stubbornly quixotic odyssey begins in June 2000, with Logan exhausted pumping water from a well, ineptly milking cantankerous goats and confronting his fear of a 2,000-pound Percheron, while Heather coped with the cooking stove’s suffocating heat, her fear of snakes and hand-scrubbing two-year-old Luther’s cloth diapers. Their garden, planted late, was soon parched by drought and plagued by pests, the most severe of several crises, since it was their winter food. Ward writes candidly about how tempers flared and sexual intimacy vanished in the early months of their adventure, but the stress of a daunting new experience soon settled into the comfort of routine, as the couple canned dozens of quarts of produce once the rains returned and forged friendships with curious, ultimately supportive country neighbors. This lyrical account of keeping the 21st century at bay is more real, and more rewarding, than any survival TV show. (June) When Frank, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, began noticing that the ranks of America’s wealthy had more than doubled in the last decade, and that they were beginning to cluster together in enclaves, he decided to investigate this new society, where “$1 million barely gets you in the door.” The “Richistanis” like to consider themselves ordinary people who just happen to have tons of money, but they live in a world where people buy boats just to carry their cars and helicopters behind their primary yachts, and ordering an alligator-skin toilet seat won’t make even your interior designer blink. But Frank doesn’t just focus on conspicuous consumption. He talks to philanthropists who apply investment principles to their charitable contributions and political fund-raisers who have used their millions to transform the Colorado state legislature. He also meets people for whom sudden wealth is an emotional burden, whose investment club meetings can feel like group therapy sessions. It’s only in the final pages that Frank contemplates the widening gap between Richistan and the rest of the world—for the most part, his grand tour approach never loses its light touch. (June) Rogers may be a real estate rookie, but her cheeky dedication “to Rupert Murdoch, whose refusal to pay me a decent wage launched me on the adventure of a lifetime” is the first clue that she’s no newbie to writing. A founding editor of the New York Post real estate section, Rogers is now a real estate agent and columnist who tells the story of her first year of business, and her first year of marriage, with a sharp wit and relaxed style that really sparkles. “It is a story of failure, and tears, and immense love,” she says, adding, “Don’t worry, there are some pretty tricked-out luxury condos along the way.” That pretty much sums it up, but the book doesn’t just rely on funny turns of phrase: it also provides plenty of working advice, including tips on handling lowball offers, staging the sale of a bohemian apartment and talking to your realtor. Those looking for some good information on the real estate industry in a book that doesn’t feel like homework will be hard-pressed for a better choice. (June) Reporter White (Fast Girls: Teenage Tribes and the Myth of the Slut) was a longtime friend of Dana Giacchetto, a smooth-talking, A-list financial adviser who counted David Copperfield, Michael Ovitz, Tobey Maguire and Phish among his clients, and famously partied with Leonardo DiCaprio at Moomba and other high-profile clubs. When Giacchetto was arrested for money laundering and other financial improprieties in April 2000, White stuck by him, visiting him in prison and collaborating with him on his memoir, until she discovered that she, too, had been taken in by the “Scammer to the Stars.” Of the $100K that White and her husband entrusted to Giachetto, $80K disappeared for good. White paints a vivid picture of Giaccheto’s family, but readers looking for salacious celebrity dish will be disappointed. White spends too much time exploring his childhood in depressed Medford, Mass., instead of the story of his rise and sensational fall. Her alternately sympathetic and angry tones are distracting, and she’s too much of a character in her own story. Finally, her uncertainty about whether Giacchetto’s a con man or a misunderstood, charismatic fame-chaser who got in over his head keeps her story balanced but unsatisfying. (June) Near the outset of this meticulous survey of UPS’s history, business journalist Brewster sums up the message he wants businesspeople to take away: that UPS may be seen as “at once humdrum” and “wonderful to behold.” But he goes heavy on the humdrum in a book whose “clear-cut lessons” are too rudimentary for the corporate audience he’s courting. It’s only when the author focuses on little-known trivia and insider information—gleaned from what the jacket copy touts as his “unprecedented access” to the delivery giant—that his account approaches the wonderful. In recounting the evolution of the American behemoth from the Gold Rush days when 15-year-old Jim Casey transported everything from bail money to morphine, Brewster turns up some shiny nuggets: the trucks are brown so dirt won’t show; in Zambia, “UPS uses canoes to make deliveries”; in New York City, the company would prefer to offer the city government an annual payment instead of tracking thousands of parking tickets. Like UPS “lifer” Greg Niemann, whose Big Brown: The Untold Story of UPS (Jossey-Bass, Feb.), Brewster heaps praise on UPS, leaving skeptical readers to wonder what remains untold. But Brewster’s emphasis on UPS business strategies won’t be of much help to the management audience. It’s better suited to UPS’s beloved everyman Joe. (June) Baby boomers, take note: traditional retirement savings wisdom won’t yield you enough to live on in your golden years, warns financial adviser Andrews (Missed Fortune, etc.). Today’s boomers are facing retirement with savings of (on average) an inadequate $50K and are relying on outdated financial strategies to carry them through. In a clear, firm tone, Andrews explains that socking away all your savings in a 401(k), paying off your mortgage and buying a vacation home only after your primary home is paid off are all worn-out Depression era truisms that no longer apply when boomers may live 20 or even 30 years past retirement age. Andrews’s last-minute catch-up plan for safely generating a livable income within the years, not decades, left until retirement mixes familiar wisdom—take advantage of compound interest, tax-favored growth and safe, reliable leverage, and don’t depend on Social Security—with a refreshingly down-to-earth plan for becoming a “Thriver,” whose money is busily working away, tax-free or tax-reduced to provide stability and enjoyment in the golden years. This is no bathtub reading—the text is heavy on charts and graphs and percentages—but the conversational, sympathetic voice serves as a wakeup call for boomers without enough saved. (June) Forget about “the myth of the solitary genius”: collaborative effort generates ideas and inventions, says this useful, upbeat book about how “innovation always emerges from a series of sparks—never a single flash of insight.” Judiciously wielding exercises and dozens of examples, Sawyer (Explaining Creativity) helps the reader understand how people think and function in and out of groups. He looks at how J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis composed their epic novels in concert, how unorganized individuals can come together to provide disaster relief more efficiently than government planners, how Charles Darwin and Samuel Morse built their work on others’ discoveries, how information sharing helped Silicon Valley beat out Boston’s computer startups. (Sawyer’s riffs on jazz ensembles and improv comedy as sites of ingenuity are less convincing.) Basing much of his work on that of mentor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi—who writes about reaching the state of heightened consciousness he calls “flow”—Sawyer offers guidelines for creating “group flow.” Insisting that “collaborative webs are more important than creative people,” he calls for an “organizational culture that fosters equivocality, improvised innovation, and constant conversation—that’s a recipe for group genius.” Even if few readers are in a position to do away with their organizational chart, this is a solid recipe for “unexpected innovation.” (June) It was easy to find oneself on the wrong side of the ruler-du-jour in 16th-century Italy, which was controlled by corrupt families and defended by contract soldiers whose loyalties were readily purchased. Machiavelli ventured into this world with his diplomatic acumen, then, when he fell out of favor, turned his ambitious mind to brutal political writings, satirical plays and the occasional courtesan. A theoretician of conspiracy and duplicity, he was also a brilliant observer of his times. Sympathizing with Machiavelli, King provides a convincing portrait of one of the most misunderstood thinkers of all time. Machiavelli’s writings shed a dark light on the man, but less so when set against the tapestry of Florence’s Palazzo della Signoria. King’s book is everything a short biography should be and more, due to King’s sharp wit and zesty anecdotes: “As the document was being signed, a dove came through the window and flew over the heads of the Ten. The dove then crashed into a wall and fell dead at the feet of the Ten, but its appearance was still considered a good omen.” It provides a strong sense of the history of both the man and his times and a nice introduction to Machiavelli’s writings. Moreover, like one of Machiavelli’s bawdy plays, it is a riveting and exhilarating read, full of salacious details and brisk prose. (June) Former U.N. weapons inspector Ritter (War on Iraq) is that rarity, a peacenik who’s also a gung-ho ex-Marine besotted with the leatherneck’s romanticized warrior ethos. In this eccentric manifesto, he critiques the antiwar movement in the light of military-philosophical chestnuts gleaned from Sun-Tzu, Marine Corps “maneuver warfare” principles and aerial combat guru John Boyd’s “OODA-loop” theory. His mission, couched in a repetitious blend of stolid Pentagonese and bloody-minded exhortation, is to militarize the peace movement’s organization (“A Type I Personnel Support Unit would be able to mobilize with a week’s notice to deploy... for up to 7 days within a 500 mile radius”) and attitude (“Dominate and destroy your enemy”). Unfortunately, Ritter’s practical proposals are cumbersome and ill-considered, his political instincts hackneyed (proposed antiwar battle cry: reverence for the Constitution) and his intellectual conceits—which encompass everything from Newtonian physics to the centrality of “conflict” in life and shopping—unenlightening. The relevance of, say, dog-fighting doctrine to political organizing remains murky, except as a vague model of abstract virtues of speed, improvisation and initiative. Ritter raises cogent points about the peace movement’s failure to think strategically, hone a compelling message and build bridges to mainstream America, but then obscures these issues in a fog of garbled war metaphors. (June) An authority on the Mongol empire, May (The Horse and the Origins of Horse Medicine in China) combines exhaustive research and accessible prose for this authoritative study of one of history’s most feared and successful armies. Following a brief discussion of the rise of the “largest contiguous empire in history,” which stretched “from the Sea of Japan to the Black Sea,” May dissects the sundry elements of the Mongol army—recruitment and organization, training, logistics, leadership and tactics—that account for its remarkable success. Perhaps the best horse archers in history, the Mongols’ greatest strength was their mobility, and their tactics—hit and run attacks, preliminary arrow showers, feigned retreats and double envelopments—exploited that strength. May also profiles colorful Mongol military leaders like Chinggis Khan—the “self-styled scourge of God” and the founder of the 13th-century empire—as well as the Mongols’ opponents—from the Jin Empire of China to the Muslim Mamluks—from whom the Mongols adapted tactics and weapons. May concludes this definitive study by tracing the Mongol legacy of “high mobility” to the German blitzkrieg of World War II and modern mechanized warfare. History Book Club Selection. (June 21) At once rueful and hilarious, this collection by widely syndicated, Berkeley, Calif.–based, Muslim American political cartoonist Bendib graphically illustrates the Orwellian relationship between the rhetoric of freedom among the powerful and the realities faced by those on the receiving end. These topical single-frame tableaux, mostly drawn from 2003 to this year, are ingeniously detailed and only occasionally dated. One shows a military graveyard with headstones converted into filling-station pumps, while another presents the Statue of Liberty as pregnant with political prisoners, the world’s largest penal population and detainees in U.S.-sponsored camps and secret prisons worldwide. Bendib is an equal opportunity offender who connects the dots with gusto—whether dogging the Bush administration’s blunders in Iraq or post-Katrina New Orleans; nuclear proliferation; racism in the U.S.; corporate welfare and waste; Islamophobia; the faux democracies of Middle Eastern autocrats; or Israel’s continuing occupation and colonization of Palestinian land (one memorable image has Bush in Siamese twinship with Jerry Falwell’s Christian Right, lecturing Palestinian voters on the democratic necessity of separating church and state). Those inclined to see the Bush administration’s “war on terror” as an excuse for imperial aggrandizement and corporate greed will find Bendib’s no-holds-barred satire fiercely funny. Those not so inclined, beware. (June) There are weapons of mass destruction after all, merely in a different country with a ruler wackier than Saddam Hussein. Pritchard, a former envoy to North Korea, writes that a sensible diplomatic approach to dictator Kim Jong-Il would have eliminated his nuclear program, then carefully recounts 15 years of diplomatic maneuvers that failed to achieve this. Readers with the persistence to finish will learn a great deal. The story begins with a 1994 agreement between America, its allies and North Korea. In exchange for the North Koreans dismantling a plutonium reactor (purportedly being built for electricity) under international inspection, the allies would build two proliferation-resistant light water reactors and ship fuel oil to the country to tide it over. Taking office in 2001, President Bush denounced that agreement as a bribe that rewarded bad behavior. “We don’t negotiate with evil; we defeat it,” added his vice-president. Hurling insults in return, Kim resumed North Korea’s nuclear program; 2006 saw both a missile and a bomb test. Pritchard supports his argument with extensive quotes from communiqués, speeches and diplomatic exchanges plus detailed explanations of the subtleties of Asian diplomacy and much less subtle views of Bush hard-liners. The author is too diplomatic to express strong feelings, but even readers tempted to skim will detect his depression because he tells a depressing story. (June) Rather than the usual focus on China’s spectacular economic growth since the 1980s and the new markets it opens for Western capital, this wide-ranging collection of voices from within China provides a forceful and timely corrective by examining the burgeoning superpower’s systemic human rights abuses and the very mixed results of economic “liberation” for the average Chinese without political reform. Editors Hom (executive director of the NGO Human Rights in China) and Mosher (editor of its journal) gather writings from activists, scholars, journalists, former government officials and artists—much of it culled from online sources and translated here for the first time. These accounts starkly unmask deep-seated corruption and the ironfisted tactics of China’s ruling class, while revealing rising individual and collective resistance. Five sections, headed by poignant verses and succinct introductions, cover ordeals on many fronts—like the government’s cynical suppression of publicity about AIDS cases, its plundering of natural resources and forcible relocations (leading to mass unrest like 2004’s uprising against the Pubugou Dam project), rising teen prostitution and the Internet’s role in a fledgling civil society—as well as personal expressions of spiritual revolt from Falun Gong and Christianity to protest art. Often fascinating and eloquent, these analyses, reports, testimonials and poems paint a vivid portrait of the challenges facing China and the world as its nearly 1.4 billion citizens increasingly lay claim to basic human rights. (June) In response to the events of September 11, 2001, Ahmed, Islamic studies professor at American University in Washington, D.C., set out last year to visit Muslim nations in the Middle East, South Asia and Far East Asia. Accompanied the entire way by two non-Islamic American students and occasionally by others—including one American student who was Islamic—the Pakistani-born professor hoped to improve his understanding of the contemporary Muslim realm in all its diversity. Not so incidentally, Ahmed also wanted to shatter the stereotype of the U.S. as a warmongering, Islam-hating nation. The result is a fascinating account of how he and his students braved danger to build mutual understanding in Pakistan, India, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, Malaysia and Indonesia. As academics, they administered detailed questionnaires to Muslims in each nation, while as social creatures, they sat through seminars, luncheons, dinners and casual conversations looking for a candid exchange of ideas about religious, political and cultural differences. Occasionally Ahmed lapses into academese, loses his humility or generalizes beyond what the evidence seems to support. But mostly he comes across as an honorable man who believes that “the future of the human race depends on international dialogue” between Muslims and non-Muslims. (June) Young Latinas grow up dealing with two, often conflicting, sets of expectations about how they should look, how they should act and how they should dream, points out Molinary, a poet, teacher and first-generation Latina born to Puerto-Rican parents, in this study. Drawing on the responses of more than 500 women who answered an extensive survey, Molinary lays out the most pressing tensions and obstacles for Latinas around issues like body image, religion and sexuality. In chapters titled “Turning Gringa” and “How Latina Are You?” she weaves together her own stories with the anecdotes of her survey respondents. The extensive quoting of other Latinas imbues the book with an honesty that will likely be appreciated by young readers. However, Molinary often overuses these voices, which drown the narrative structure. At its best, the book is a pastiche of honest and emotional insights that come together to reveal a shared experience. At its worst, it comes off like a sloppily prepared sociological report, with little storytelling finesse. Though more suited to skimming than reading straight through, the book is likely to be a source of comfort for many young Latinas. (June) Acivil rights activist and organizer in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community for more than 20 years, Hyde has inspired and trained thousands on how to get involved and make a difference. In this richly detailed and well-organized book, she offers a stirring course in gay activism with step-by-step “how-to” advice. Whether it’s lobbying elected officials, monitoring and responding to the media’s portrayals of LGBT people, organizing a gay-straight alliance or even seeking elected office at the local or state level, Hyde offers advice from her vast experience. She also takes readers through the nascent gay rights movement and introduces some of its architects (the Mattachine Society, Harry Hay and Franklin Kameny, who in 1965 led the first group of gay men and women in public protest at the White House), breaking down the prejudices, persecutions, landmark legislation, setbacks and turning points. Designed to outrage, inspire, encourage and anger readers, and give them the tools to spring into action, this is an indispensable resource for anyone looking for a little guidance and a little push. (June) Ajournalist covering LGBT issues and gay legislation for more than 20 years, Keen delivers a sharp and coherent analysis of legal issues affecting LGBT kids today. After expertly guiding readers through a brief, easily digestible history of gay legislation, Keen empowers young gay people to not only know what their rights are but to stand up for them—whether facing threats or harassment from police, a teacher or a kid at school. In each case, she spells out what those rights are and how to properly assert them. Along the way, Keen relates some horrifying and tragic accounts of civil and constitutional rights abuse against LGBT kids, as well as extraordinary examples of those who stood up and made a difference, not only in their own communities, but in shaping the overall climate of gay legislation today. Geared to LGBT teenagers, this important, eye-opening book is also an essential read for any parent with a gay child. Loaded with appendixes, Keen’s book gives useful information such as how to look up a law, a time line of legal landmarks, how and where to find legal help and organizations for LGBT youth. (June) This report by Michigan Representative Conyers, senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, and his staff aims to demonstrate a “persistent and disturbing pattern of conduct involving the Bush Administration” in the buildup to and handling of the Iraq War, as well as the domestic erosion of civil liberties—but comes too late to add much news. The authors draw on “tens of thousands” of sources in building their case, including government reports, legal decisions, newspapers, books, speeches, television broadcasts and online material, tallying just over 1,400 endnotes in a dense but manageable 320 pages. They also comprehensively cover the administration’s role in spreading the false claim of an Iraq–al-Qaeda connection, scandals involving the torture of Iraqi prisoners, and the leaking of former CIA-officer Valerie Plame-Wilson’s identity to the press. Since the bulk of the report was completed by May 2006, a brief addendum isn’t enough to bring some of the material up to date (most tellingly, the text continually refers to the Republican-controlled Congress). Most readers will be better served by the more journalistic books and articles the authors use as references. (June) During its 33-year history, Creative Time has produced 313 public art projects involving 1,361 artists in New York City. This book, which is dense with text and photographs, both celebrates that achievement and assesses the current state of public art. Creative Time has dedicated itself to a concept of public art that is temporary and experimental rather than permanent and monumental. In the late 1970s, the group was known for taking over empty real estate, whether a building lobby or a landfill. In the 1980s, at a time of rising political activism, they were likely to insert art onto street corners, the sides of buses, milk cartons or takeout coffee cups. One project in 1993 took over all of 42nd Street before its final Disneyfication. In 2004 Creative Time deployed a team of artists to repaint the facades of businesses at Coney Island. The 21 contributors to this book include critics, curators, artists, novelists and the three people who have helmed the organization. Their essays and interviews offer an entertaining and sometimes nostalgic look at three decades of the New York art scene. The book will interest those involved with public art in cities nationwide. 275 color and 25 b&w illus. (May 1) Published in conjunction with a May 16–July 28 exhibition at the Grolier Club in New York, this handsome volume traces the history of books ranging in height from three inches to less than a quarter of an inch. Included are books of many kinds, often containing beautiful illustrations—illuminated medieval and Renaissance devotional books, including the world’s smallest Bible, chained to its own little lectern; Arabic and Indian scriptures; and the complete works of Shakespeare in a miniature revolving bookcase. Some of these books were intended for amusement, such as those made for Queen Mary’s dolls’ house; others have more practical uses, such as small traveling libraries and little Hebrew books that could be concealed in times of persecution. The smallest book ever is a New Testament printed in 24-karat gold on a silicon chip. There are elegant bindings in materials such as leather, mother-of-pearl and gold filigree. In their informative text, Bromer, a rare book dealer, and Edison, a collector, discuss the diverse contents of these tiny volumes, as well as papermaking, printing processes and publishers. Their delightful book is a feast for the eye, with more than 260 color illustrations in which most of the books are pictured in actual size. (May) If any book can make its readers feel nostalgic for a TV show whose main character hacks one of his enemies into pieces, it is this gorgeously designed and smartly written tribute to The Sopranos and its conflicted hero, Tony, the mob boss torn between loyalty to his crime family and his own family. Scheduled to be published in conjunction with the series’ final nine episodes in its six-season, eight-year-long run, the book is a success primarily due to Miller’s enthusiastic but never fawning insider’s look at everything from the initial casting of the series, the show’s use of New Jersey’s “suburbo-industrial landscapes” as a backdrop to various thematic elements, and the characters’ large appetites for sex and food. He gets great insights from his interviews with all of the show’s production staff, such as series creator David Chase, who was influenced by his work on The Rockford Files (“TV’s first postmodern, ironic detective”). The book is also lavishly illustrated with wonderful photos of various sets, a superb short episode guide to each show, page-long descriptions on how each actor views the characters they play (Robert Iler wants to step outside of his character, Tony’s son, A.J., “and smack myself in the face”). (May) Correction: The publisher of Patrice Higgonet’s Attendant Cruelties (Reviews, Apr. 2) is Other Press (Norton, dist.). Religion It may take ingenuity to interest browsers in a memoir by a middle-aged mother who, 11 years ago, was suddenly widowed, then became a Unitarian-Universalist minister, and now works as chaplain to game wardens in Maine. But good memoir writing does not depend on celebrity or adventure—who’d have thought that a self-confessed recovering neurotic like Anne Lamott or a monastically inclined poet like Kathleen Norris would make it big?—and Braestrup’s insightful essays are extraordinarily well written, mingling elements of police procedural and touching love story with trenchant observations about life and death. Alert to comic detail even in grisly circumstances (bears, for example, like to play ball with human skulls), she tells stories of lost children, a suicide, drunken accidents and a murder, always with compassion and a concern for the big questions inescapably provoked by tragic events. “Why did Dad die?” her children ask, and her response describes not only her theology but also her reason for being a chaplain: “Nowhere in scripture does it say 'God is a car accident’ or 'God is death.’ God is justice and kindness, mercy, and always—always—love. So if you want to know where God is in this or in anything, look for love.” (Aug.) It takes a nonspecialist to write this sort of history nowadays. Journalist Witham has most recently been writing popular studies of science, Darwinism and creationism in the U.S. Here he narrates the history of preaching in America, taking as his title John Winthrop’s famous sermonic description to his fellow Puritans on their way to New England. Except, as Witham points out, no Puritan thought it remarkable to describe the desired commonwealth in biblical terms at the time. Witham knows when to pick up the narrative pace and when to slow down for delicious detail: for example, evangelist George Whitefield was the colonies’ first celebrity, and the last few decades have been marked by “activist” preaching across the ideological spectrum. Historians and theologians will find points with which to quibble. Yet Witham succeeds in lifting up Roman Catholic, women, evangelical and black preachers alongside the mainstay white males. He also resists the temptation to sermonize himself until the last few pages, where he asks whether American preachers’ longstanding comfort with assigning “good” to our motives and “evil” to others’ is more dualistic and Manichaean than Christian. But by then he’s done the good historical work necessary for the one hard question to linger with the reader. (Aug.) This data-driven description of American megachurches is aimed at leaders and members of smaller congregations who may harbor apprehensions about this growing phenomenon. Chapter by chapter, the authors tackle common misconceptions of churches with more than 2,000 attendees and suggest that they are simply Christian neighbors with a different-looking storefront who are here to stay a while and who have much to offer smaller churches willing to learn. However, the collaboration of the two writers (one an academic and the other a consultant for church leadership) is disjointed, with the “applying what you have read” sections at the end of each chapter feeling tacked on to the richer content of the main text. One of the strongest chapters confronts the “myth” that megachurches are akin to Wal-Mart in that they grow at the expense of existing congregations. The authors argue that megachurches feed a constant cycle of “birth, growth, maturity and decline” needed to “help keep churches and religion in America strong and vital.” Readers are reminded that Christianity comes in many different packages and that the market for religion can and should be tapped in a variety of ways. (Aug.) Can history and theology be reconciled? The New Testament contains the story of a man, Jesus; it is a primary historical source for our knowledge of his life, death and alleged resurrection. But it also has been the basis for 2,000 years of theological speculation and doctrinal formation. As Neufeld puts it, “theology has had to contend with history,” and “history has had to contend with theology.” There are sources outside the Bible that inform us about the context in which Jesus was born and into which his movement blossomed into Christianity. The author, associate professor of religious studies at Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, mines the depths of New Testament writings and other contemporary sources, looking to effect this reconciliation and to present Jesus as a real person in real history. His subject is complex, but he succeeds nicely in simplifying terms and explaining difficult ideas in understandable language. Describing himself as both a “believer and a scholar,” Neufeld finds the real Jesus in both history and theology. Readers at all levels will enjoy this fine volume. (Aug.) Are some religions, doctrines and practices more apt to inspire hatred and extremism than others? Are people who commit evil acts in the name of their faith carrying out or corrupting the “true” message of their religion? What sorts of people are most prone to extremism? Psychologist Kressel, of William Paterson University, attempts to answer these and other questions in a facile study of the perils of religious extremism. Drawing on examples of extremism from the history of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, he defines religious extremists as “persons who—for reasons they themselves deem religious—commit, promote, or support purposely hurtful, violent, or destructive acts toward those who don’t practice their faith.” Although much of the book centers on Islamic religious extremism, Kressel investigates the cases of Christians responsible for bombing abortion clinics in the name of their religion. He concludes that militant faith may help some believers, among other things, establish a stronger self-esteem, give life meaning and eradicate a sense of their shortcomings, or sin. Kressel urges toleration for the array of destructive religious beliefs, even as he condemns the destructive conduct that sometimes grows out of such beliefs. Regrettably, Kressel offers no startlingly new insights into the nature of religious extremism. (July 31) Bestselling novelist and children’s author Bergren consolidates efforts with Price, a marketing consultant, to guide evangelical women toward experiencing the best God has to give. They compile interviews from hundreds of women across the nation on such diverse life topics as love, friendship, finances, joy, balance, physical health, purpose and developing a richer relationship with God. Each chapter features brief interviews with popular Christian authors and speakers such as Liz Curtis Higgs, Carol Kent, Kay Arthur and Jan Silvious. Readers will also appreciate the real-life insights and inspiration gleaned from numerous women whose excerpts were taken from the surveys. A particularly helpful section challenges women to give their best to friendships even when that means risking rejection and personal sacrifice. Citing the Ruth 1:16 passage so often quoted at weddings, the authors rightly correct readers’ misconceptions of the focus of this verse whose emphasis is on the friendship between Ruth and Naomi, her mother-in-law, not Ruth and a man. Christian women will enjoy this text for its diversity of contributors and their stories. Sadly, the bulk of the practical material, though helpful, is not particularly original. (July 17) Rubietta encourages Christian women to avail themselves of 15 intimate “invitations,” being drawn into Christ’s unconditional mercy, grace and acceptance. Rubietta (Grace Points) beautifully presents Jesus’ gentle yet persistent summons to come closer to experience this abundant comfort for when life hurts, relief is scarce and help is absent or inadequate. In four-part sequence, the author weaves an eloquent display of proofs from scripture—mainly from the Gospels—that Jesus is indeed close at hand and that Christians can bask in this spiritual reality right now. Jesus’ example of extravagant love, she says, is to be passed on in like manner. Rubietta provides numerous poignant stories to illustrate each chapter’s takeaway; particularly compelling is her account of a makeup artist who weekly serves the women employed at a strip club, building relationships with these hurting individuals without standing in judgment of their profession. Rubietta writes well, richly presenting Jesus’ beckonings with dynamic storytelling, emotionally inviting prayers and calls to honest introspection. She is wonderful at expressing the heart’s longing for comfort and care. Evangelicals will find their spirits uplifted after relishing Rubietta’s entreaty to draw nearer still to the Jesus who always cares. (July 17) Catholics and Protestants have been debating for centuries about which is more vital—faith or good works? There are hopeful signs, however, that the controversy may be winding down. Acclaimed evangelical speaker and writer Campolo teams up with spiritual director and teacher Darling to reveal some gems from the liturgical Christian tradition to evangelical Protestants who may be ready for a refreshing change. While steeped in their own evangelical tradition, the authors are not afraid to venture back into Christian history and reclaim some practices that have long been considered exclusively Catholic. Darling suggests Centering Prayer, along with works by Ignatius Loyola and Catherine of Siena, as excellent spiritual tools to help evangelicals grow in faith and love for the poor. A vital theme in Campolo and Darling’s work is that spirituality is not solely an individualistic practice, but must lead Christians to love and help the oppressed. True Christian mysticism, the authors posit, is not an either/or proposition: “We believe that the nexus between evangelism and justice is to be found in the kind of Christian mysticism we are advocating in this book.” While not all evangelicals are ready for such a radical shift, others will be greatly enriched. (July 13) Levine’s first book, Dharma Punx, was the autobiography of a young hell-raiser. Having escaped juvenile hall and drug addiction through the slow discipline of Buddhist practices, the son of Buddhist author Stephen Levine is now a spiritual teacher. In this book he presents what he has learned about and through Buddhism. The compelling personal narrative may be gone, but the disarming, frank tone that made the first book persuasive remains. He writes about the challenge of celibacy, for example, a different kind of difficulty than that posed by intimate relationships. Levine has taken the Buddha’s teachings to heart—he would call it “heart-mind”—and clearly returns to such central ideas as impermanence and suffering, giving his thinking simplicity and consistency. Considering there’s a lot of Buddhism here, the book is free of a lot of Buddhist-speak. An appendix includes to-the-point instructions for a variety of meditations that relate to essential Buddhist qualities and ideas. Levine’s no-frills approach makes this a short book that will be accessible for young adults with little or no experience of Buddhism. Whether the book is about a revolutionary way of life is arguable, but it is an honest book—what Buddhists would call right speech—driven by right intention. (July) Patel, a former Rhodes scholar with a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford, is the founder of the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization that unites young people of different religions to perform community service and explore their common values. Patel argues that such work is essential, manifesting “the faith line” that will define the 21st century. Patel’s own story is more powerful than the exhaustive examples he provides of how mainstream faith failed to reach young people like Osama bin Laden and Yighal Amir, the assassin of Yitzhak Rabin. With honesty, Patel relates how he suffered the racist taunts of fellow youth, and, in response, alternately rebelled against and absorbed the religion of his parents—Islam—but in his own way. Meanwhile, he continued to pursue interfaith work with vigor, not quite knowing his end goal but always feeling in his gut that interfaith understanding was the key. This autobiography of a young activist captures how an angry youth can be transformed—by faith, by the community and, most of all, by himself—into a profound leader for the cause of peace. (July) Many of the new and provocative rituals Ochs began gathering a decade ago are now seamlessly woven into Jewish practice: naming ceremonies for baby girls, Rosh Hodesh groups, women’s seders, healing services. “What is utterly novel today,” she concludes, “may be the 'traditional’ Judaism of tomorrow.” Ochs, author (Sarah Laughed; Words on Fire) and professor of religious studies, is herself a ritual innovator, crafting ceremonies for teenagers who receive their driver’s licenses and office-warmings with “interactive mezuzot.” Ritual innovation, she says, remains based in texts, actions, objects and understandings about God, spurred by a “democratic” search for spirituality and Jewish feminism. Her explorations of the origins and context of rituals, from red threads to chocolate Seder plates and prayers for September 11, are eye-opening. Three larger case studies focus on Miriam’s tambourine, Holocaust Torahs and wedding booklets, and lists of resources, books and Web sites abound. Ochs doesn’t gloss over questions of authenticity, endurance and discomfort, but offers a clear, informative discussion of a dynamic process that will continue to change the face of American Judaism. (July) Just when it seems bestselling author Arterburn (Every Man’s Battle) can’t possibly produce another book, he writes one that can dramatically change lives. This time he focuses on breaking free from the pain of the past with a technique called “reframing.” Reframing “is looking at the events of your life from a broader perspective than just the event. It is looking deeper into all the facts surrounding the past rather than to personalize the hurt.” He describes the main roadblocks to reframing: stubborn resistance, arrogant entitlement, justifiable resentment, disconnected isolation and blind ignorance. He also details what reframing is and is not, and how to do it. According to Arterburn, reframing is the major step before readers can resolve whatever issues haunt them. A gentle faith perspective is woven through the book, with a special section on “Reframing Your God” to help readers get their spiritual lives in harmony. With plenty of real-life examples (including his own) and the promise of “a whole new life” if readers are willing to do the work, Arterburn has crafted a book that will delight his fans and draw many new ones. It’s honest, pointed and hopeful. (July) As pastor of Free Chapel church in Gainesville, Ga., Franklin preaches and teaches to an imposing 10,000 attendees weekly. The charismatic evangelist—who is also author of two books on fasting and a national television personality on the program Kingdom Connection—offers a spirited and lively how-to text on learning to discern and identify the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Franklin shows a disarming personal style as he presents clear expositions on defining the gift of discernment, recognizing the three “rights” (people, place, plan), unlocking this gift and garnering its protective elements. Many evangelical readers will feel like the book is a vitamin C boost to their spirits, but others will find it a bit simplistic. Franklin exudes an utter confidence about how and when the Holy Spirit will work in Christians’ lives, a certainty that may appeal to charismatic readers, but will feel to others like he is reducing Christian mystery to a workable cause-and-effect formula. Still, readers across the evangelical Christian spectrum can appreciate how honing in to the work of the Holy Spirit is always a valued exercise, though too often a neglected topic in spiritual discipline discussions. (June 5)
Shoot the Widow: Adventures of a Biographer in Search of Her Subject
Meryle Secrest. Knopf, $25.95 (272p) ISBN 978-0-307-26483-1
Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle over Global Warming
Chris Mooney. Harcourt, $26 (400p) ISBN 978-0-15-101287-9
Alex Wright. Joseph Henry, $27.95 (296p) ISBN 978-0-309-10238-4
Mike Horn. St. Martin’s, $27.95 (304p) ISBN 978-0-312-36262-1
Lucy Riall. Yale Univ., $35 (384p) ISBN 978-0-300-11212-2
Edited by Nick Lyons, foreword by David Halberstam. Skyhorse (Sterling, dist.), $24.95 (800p) ISBN 978-1-60239-013-3
Linda Kennedy. Westholme (Univ. of Chicago, dist.), $24.95 (232p) ISBN 978-159416-043-1
Diego Maradona, with Daniel Arcucci and Ernesto Cherquis Bialo, trans. by Marcela Mora y Araujo. Skyhorse (Sterling, dist.), $24.95 (320p) ISBN 978-1-60239-027-0
Prime: Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love, and the Sensual Years
Pepper Schwartz. Collins, $24.95 (272p) ISBN 978-0-06-117358-5
Louise Bernikow. Da Capo, $22 (224p) ISBN 978-0-7382-1096-4
Dan Kurzman. Da Capo, $26 (304p) ISBN 978-0-306-81468-6
Sean Kingsley. HarperCollins, $26.95 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-085400-3
Yumi Yamaguchi, trans. from the Japanese by Arthur Tanaka. Kodansha, $34.95 (176p) ISBN 978-4-7700-3031-3
Logan Ward. BenBella (IPG, dist.), $24 (256p) ISBN 978-1-933771-15-1
Robert Frank. Crown, $24.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-307-33926-3
Diary of a Real Estate Rookie: My Year of Flipping, Selling, and Rebuilding—and What I Learned (the Hard Way)
Alison Rogers. Kaplan (S&S, dist.), $14.95 paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-4277-5465-3
Emily White. Scribner, $25 (320p) ISBN 978-0-7432-5996-5
Mike Brewster. Hyperion, $24.95 (289p) ISBN 978-1-4013-0288-7
Douglas R. Andrew. Warner Business, $24.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-446-58053-3
Keith Sawyer. Basic, $26.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-465-07192-0
Machiavelli: Philosopher of Power
Ross King. Atlas/HarperCollins, $21.95 (256p) ISBN 978-0-06-081717-6
Scott Ritter. Nation, $13.95 paper (192p) ISBN 978-1-56858-328-0
Timothy May. Westholme (Univ. of Chicago, dist.), $29.95 (240p) ISBN 978-1-159416-046-2
Khalil Bendib. Interlink/Olive Branch $14.95 paper ISBN 978-1-56656-691-9
Charles L. Pritchard. Brookings Institution, $26.95 (240p) ISBN 978-0-8157-7200-2
Edited by Sharon Hom and Stacy Mosher. New Press, $29.95 (336p) ISBN 978-1-59558-132-7
Akbar Ahmed. Brookings Institution, $28.95 (312p) ISBN 978-0-8157-0132-3
Rosie Molinary. Seal, $15.95 paper (280p) ISBN 978-1-58005-189-7
Sue Hyde. Beacon, $13 paper (208p) ISBN 978-0-8070-7972-0
Lisa Keen. Beacon, $13 paper (176p) ISBN 978-0-8070-7966-9
John C. Conyers Jr. and Staff, Skyhorse (Sterling, dist.), $15 paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-60239-009-6
Anne Pasternak, intro. by Lucy Lippard, edited by Ruth Peltason. Princeton Architectural, $50 (288p) ISBN 978-1-56898-696-8
Anne. C. Bromer and Julian I. Edison. Abrams, in association with the Grolier Club, $40 (216p) ISBN 978-0-8109-9299-3
Brett Martin. Time, $21.95 (176p) ISBN 978-1-933821-87-0
Here If You Need Me: A True Story
Kate Braestrup. Little, Brown, $23.99 (224p) ISBN 978-0-316-06630-3
Larry Witham. Harper San Francisco, $24.95 paper (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-085427-0
Scott Thumma and Dave Travis. Jossey-Bass, $23.95 (240p) ISBN 978-0-7879-9467-9
Thomas R. Yoder Neufeld. Brazos, $22.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-58743-202-6
Neil J. Kressel. Prometheus, $26 (264p) ISBN 978-1-59102-503-0
Lisa T. Bergren and Rebecca Price. WaterBrook, $12.99 paper (208p) ISBN 978-1-4000-7245-3
Come Closer: A Call to Life, Love & Breakfast on the Beach
Jane Rubietta. WaterBrook, $13.99 paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-4000-7351-1
Tony Campolo and Mary Darling. Jossey-Bass, $21.95 (256p) ISBN 978-0-7879-8741-1
Noah Levine. Harper San Francisco, $13.95 paper (192p) ISBN 978-0-06-073664-4
Eboo Patel. Beacon, $22.95 (208p) ISBN 978-0-8070-7726-9
Vanessa L. Ochs. JPS, $25 paper (300p) ISBN 978-0-8276-0834-4
Stephen Arterburn. FaithWords, $22.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-446-58033-5
Jentezen Franklin. Whitaker House (www.whitakerhouse.com), $19.99 (208p) ISBN 978-0-88368-276-0
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